Sheet-gripper



W. E. WEGENER. SHEET GRIPPER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1920.

UNITED STATES ATENT orricu- SHEET- GRIPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11116 15, 1920.

Application filed February 26, 1920. Serial No. 361,454.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .VVILLIAM E. Wnonnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago Heights, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Sheet-Grippers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to sheet grippers for use in the manipulation of sheets of paper and cardboard, and more particularly the positioning of sheets of pa,- per and cardboard on a support for receiving impressions, as in the case of printing machines, the device having been devised for use more particularly, though not to the exclusion of its use in other situations, in connection with what is known as a Miller platen press feeder, my improved device being provided as the fork portion of such a machine.

In the machine of the type referred to the paper gripper isprovided in a position to receive the forward edge of the sheet in the delivery operation of the machine, the sheet being delivered against stops which are engaged by such forward edge, and by a shifting movement given to the fork forming the gripper, the sheet is moved laterally against another stop on the machine by which stops the sheet is accurately positioned on the platen, the gripper in such movement moving away from and out of engagement with the sheet and being returned to normal position to again receive the edge of a sheet, after the previously positioned sheet has received the desired impression and been removed from the platen.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the sheet gripper must be so constructed that while it will receive the edge of a sheet delivered to it in the operation of the machine, it will afford suflicient resistance to the withdrawal of the sheet therefrom to effect the desired shifting ofthe sheet, by the action of the gripper described, for positioning the sheet against the lateral stop as stated. 7

- In this connection, it is my object to provide a novel, simple and economical construction of gripper by which'the same may be readily adjusted to cause it to function as stated for different thicknesses of sheets with which it is to be used.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1* is a broken plan view of the fork of a Miller platen. pressfeeder, equipped w th sheet-gripping means in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the structure shown in Fig. 1. Fig.

3 is a plan view of the structure of Fig. 1 with certain of the parts shown in Fig. 2 removed. Fig. 4: is anenlarged section taken at the line 4L on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a section taken at the line 5 on Fig. 1 and "viewed in the direction ofthe arrow; and Fig. 6, a view in side elevation of the device of Fig.1, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6 showing the structure con siderably enlarged compared with the size of the same for use on theMiller machine referred to. a I

The part indicated at 7, and which is preferably formed of a piece of spring steel, is the part at which the feed-gripper is attached to the Miller machine referred to and through which the lateral oscillations of the gripper device, in the operation of the ma chine, are efiected, this strip being formed at its outer end with a tongue 8, its relatively pointed end being beveled and rounded at its upper side as indicated at 9. The tongue portion 8 is narrower than the body of the strip 7 and presents at the base of the tongue the outwardly-extending shoulders 10. Fitting. flatwise against the upper surface of the strip 7- is a plate 11 preferably of springy material, as, for example brass, having its outer end expanded as indicated at 12 and its extremity of fork shape providing the tines, 0r tongues, ,13 which are spaced apart and extendat opposite sides of the tongue 8 andin spaced relation thereto, the metal of the part 12 at the bases of the tines or tongues l3,at opposite sides of the tongue 8, being downwardly deflected as represented at 14 to form lugs which interlock with the shoulders 10 as shown. The fork portionof the member 11 normally inclines slightlyv in a direction away from the plane in whiohthe tongue 8 is located, theextremities of the tines l3 being upwardly curved as indicated in Fig. 6, viz., in adirection away from the tongue 8. The members 7 and 11, related to eachother as shown and explained, are. associated with a block 1% which is of increased thickness at its rear end as indicated at 15 and in which part a longitudinally extending dove -ta1l groove 15 is provided, 111 which groove the assembled members 7 and 11. are contained the block 14, and which is or reduced thick ness as represented at 1?, is recessedas'indicated" at 18,to provide the twoforwardlyprojecting arm portions 19 spaced'apart a distance substantially equal to the distance between the tines 13, directly above which latter they extend. 'The under sides of the portions 19 are upwardly curved as indicated at 20, the parts 19 carrying adjusting screws 21 which bear against the upper surfaces of the tines l and. through the medium of which these tines may be adjusted into different positions for the purpose hereinafter explained. V in the use oi the device the sheets of paper, or cardboard, one being indicated at 22, aroiied in succession to the device, one at a time, the'for'wa'rd edge of the sheet entering the gripper and engaging stops (not shown) at itsforward edge, the sheet be coming superposed on thetongue Sjand extending beneath the tongues 13 which latter are, through the medium ofthe screws 21, adjusted relative to the tongue 8 to permit the'sh'eet tobecome positionedinthe gripper as shown and stated but held by the gripper with suiiicient firnrness to cause the sheet'to be shifted laterally for the positioning purpose stated in the forepart of this specification, and the gripper is thereupon withdrawn from engagement with the sheet, when the'gripper is oscillated in a lateral direction.

The functioning of the gripper as stated depends upon the position of the tongues 13 relative to the tongue 8 and they characteristicsfand thickness or the sheet being operated on, it being possible by r'nyimproved device merely by the making of a simple adjustment, as through'the medium oi. the screws 21, to condition the gripper device for-the performance of the functions above referred to, in connection with sheets of varying characteristics and thicknesses.

'Furthermoreby reason of the construction as shown the tongues between which the sheet is gripped, when once adjusted, are maintained, in the continued use of the device, in'the position to which they are adjusted, such relative positioning of the tongues not being'disturbed by continued use of the device.

WVhile Ihave illustrated-and described a particular construction embodying my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto, as the same may be'variously modified and alteredwithby Letters Patent is:

out departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure 1. A sheet gripper comprising members constructed and arranged to permit a sheet to be entered edgewise therebetween and become automatically gripped therein by the act of thus inserting the sheet, and means for relatively adjusting said members to ferent thicknesses.

2. A sheet gripper comprising members adapt the device for use with sheets of difby which the sheet is engaged, certain of said members bemg spaced apart and another thereof located between said spaced apart members, and means for relatively adjusting said members to adapt the device for use-with sheets of different thicknesses.

3. A. sheet gripper comprising a block, members carried 'bysaid block and by which the sheet is engaged, and means on said block for relatively adjusting said members to. adapt'the device for use with sheets of ditterent thicknesses.

l; A sheet gripper comprising a block, members on' said block and by which the sheet is engaged, certain ofs'aid members being spaced apart and another thereof located between said spaced apartjmembers, and

means on said block for relatively adjusting said members toadapt the device foruse with sheets of different thicknesses; f

5. A. sheet gripper comprising a block, members on said block by'which the sheet is engaged, certain of said members being spaced apart and another thereof located between said spaced apart members, and adjusting means carried by said block and engaging said spaced apart members for adjusting the latter relative tothe said member between them, to adapt the device for use'with sheets of different thicknesses.

6. A sheetv gripper comprising a block, members onjsaid block by which the sheet is engagechcertain of said members being resilient, and means on said block engaging said last-referred-to members for adjusting the latter relative to the other ofsaid members. i

7. A. sheet a tongue member on said block, and a plate provided at its forward endwith resilient members spaced-apart and located at opposite sides ofsaiditongue and in'pos'ition to adapt the device to receive a sheet between said tongue and members, and means on said block for adjusting said spaced apart members toward and away from" said tongue;

sheet gripper comprising a block formed at its forward end with arms spaced apart, a tongue equipped member carried by said block and extending at its tongue between said. arms, said member being shouldered at the b'ase of said tongue, a

gripper comprising a block,

yoke-shape member carried by said block ried by said arms and bearing against said and located between said tongue-equipped resilient tongues and through the medium member and said block and formed with of which screws, said resilient tongues are 10 tongues at its forward end spaced apart adjustable relative to said first-referred-to and located at opposite sides of said first tongue.

named tongue, said second-referred-to tongues being resilient, and set screws car- WILLIAM E. WEGENER. 

